Clothes-draining device.



PA TENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

L. T; COOK. CLOTHES DRAINING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3'1, 1905.

0/? Zemue Thompson 6004 WITNESSES.

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- UNITED srA'rns PATENT OFFICE,

LEMUEL T. COOK, OF ATLANTA, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELMER E. COOK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLOTHES-DRAINING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Augii, 1906.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, LEMUEL THOMPSON COOK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Hamilton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Clothes-Draining Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide avery simple, light, durable, and economic clothes-draining device adapted for use in connection with any form of washboiler, especially a rectangular or an oval boiler, which drainer normally lies in the bottom of the boiler and is adapted to be lifted up and supported at the top of the boiler when the clothes are to be drained, thus preventing the water spilling over upon the attendant or upon the support for the boiler.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide means for conveniently lifting the drainer to an upper position, supporting it while in such position, and finally when the clothes are sufficiently drained forcing the drainer in position to conveniently dump the clothes therefrom.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a boiler and a side elevation of the drainer therein, illustrating by full lines the normal position of the drainer and by dotted lines the heel of the drainer partly raised. Fig. 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but the drainer is shown fully elevated and supported by full lines and in its intermediate position by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the drainer and the boiler in which it is placed, and Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the device.

A represents a boiler which may be of any shape. As illustrated, the boiler is of oval formation, and the drainer is given a corresponding shape. The drainer is .markedly of less dimensions lengthwise and transversely than the corresponding dimensions of the boiler in order that the drainer may be conveniently handled.

In constructing the drainer metal is employed, preferably galvanized metal, and the metal is preferably in strips, although wire may be used in the formation of said drainer;

- thereto by rivets 19*.

but the handle, to be hereinafter mentioned, is usually made of wood. However, I do not restrict myself to any special material.

In constructing the drainer as illustrated a rectangularskeleton and vertically-placed heel-frame B is employed, which is formed from a strip or strap of metal bent upon itself to form side members 10, a top member 11, and a bottom member 12. Ordinarily this frame is braced at its upper portionby a strap 13, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) the said strap being attached at its ends to the inner faces of the sides of the saidframe B and at its central portion to the under face of the top member 11 of said frame, rivets being employed to make such attachments; but (ithe said strap 13 maybe omitted, if do sire In connection with the heel-frame B a toeframe B is used, which is substantially ofU shape, comprising a bottom transverse mem.

ber 14 and upright end members .15, the latter members 15 being considerably shorter than the corresponding members of. the heelframe B. A horizontal side frame B is also employed, which consists of astrip or strap of metal bent upon itself to form opposing side members 16 and a rear arched member 17, as is best shown inFig. 3. The side members 16 are attached to the upper ends ofthe. vertical members 15 of the toe-frame B by rivets l8 and to, the inner faces of the side members 10 of the heel-frame B by rivets 18?. The said bow member or section 17 of. the side frame B extends some. distance rearward of the heel-frame B.

Central floor-straps C are made to rest upon the upper face of the bottom member 14 of the toe-frame B, being attached thereto by rivets 19, and thesestrips O likewise rest upon the upper faceof the bottom mem ber 12 of the heel-frame B, being secured The rear ends of the floor-straps C are bent upward to an engagement with the outer face of the arched portion 17 of the side frame B being secured thereto by rivets 20, and the rear portions of the floor-straps O are carried vertically up.- ward nearly as high as the heel-frame .B, where they are connected by a horizontal strap 21, and this strap 21 is secured by a rivet 22 to the under face of the handle 23, the forward end of which handle is made to rest against the under face of the brace 13 of the heel-frame B, being secured to the two said parts by the same rivet 24 employed to attach the brace to the frame B.

The central floor-straps C extend beyond the forward edge of the toe-frame B, and at the forward terminals of the said straps C downwardly-curved hooks 25 are formed, adapted to engage with the upper marginal portion of the boiler when the device is to be placed in draining position. Side floorstraps C are also used, secured to the bottom member 14 of the toe-frame B by rivets 26 and to the bottom member of the heel-frame B by rivets 27, and the said side straps O are carried up to an engagement with the bow-section 17 of the side frame B and attached thereto by rivets 27, and then the rear ends of these side straps are curved upwardly and forwardly to an engagement with the upper face of the heel-frame B, where they are secured by suitable rivets 29.

A leg 30 has a hinged connection with the under face of the handle 23, being ordinarily attached to the handle by astaple 31, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and upon the forward face of this leg 30, which is also in the form of a strap, downwardly extending or curved stops 32 and 33 are secured, one near the bottom and the other between the end portions of the said leg, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the operation of the drainer before the clothes are placed in the boilerA the drainer is made to rest on the bottom of the boiler, as is shown byfull lines in Fig. 1, and the han dle extends across the top of the boiler at the rear, while the leg 30 occupies a vertical position outside of the boiler, as is also shown in Fig. 1. When the clothes are to be drained,

the handle is lifted, as isshown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, until the upper stop 32 on the leg 30 is brought to an engagement with the rear upper marginal portion of the boiler, as is also shown by dottedlines in Fig. 1, thus slightly elevating the heel of the drainer. The operator will then press down on the handle, using the leg as a fulcrum, and will consequently elevate the toe portion of the drainer sufliciently to bring the hooks 25 to an engagement with the upper marginal portion of the boiler at the front, which may be accomplished by bodily pushing the drainer through the medium of its handle in a forward irection. The drainer will then occupy the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. It is then easy for the operator to raise the handle to the horizontal position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, thus bringing the lower stop 33 to an engagement with the upper edge of the boiler at the rear, causing the bottom of the drainer to be level, as is-shown by positive lines in Fig. 2. The drainer is permitted to remain in this position until enough Water has been drained from the clothes. Then by working the handle toward the side of the boiler the drainer can be carried to that side in position to dump the clothes over the side of the boiler into areceptacle placed to receive them.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A clothes-drainer of open-work construction having a slatted body, the structure being of greatest height at the rear and the bottom portion of said drainer being provided with forwardly-extending hook members, a handle secured to the upper portion of the rear part of the structure, a leg pivot ally connected with the said handle, and stops on the said leg.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a clothes-drainer, comprising a rectangular vertical heel-frame, a substantially U-shaped lower forward ortoe frame, a side frame open at the front, being attached to the vertical portions of the toe-frame and the corresponding portions of the heel-frame, the rear portion of the said side frame being bowed and extending well to the rear of the heel-frame, central straps secured to the lower members of the heel and toe frames, which central straps extend'beyond the forward edge of the toe-frame and terminate in hooks, the rear portions of said central straps being carried up to an enga ement with the rear of the side frame, and to a point approaching the upper horizontal plane of the heel-frame, a connection between the rear terminals of the said central straps, a handle attached to the upper portion of the heel-frame and to the said connection between the central straps, side straps also secured to the bottom members of the toe and heel frames, the rear ortions of the said side straps being carrie up to an engagement with the rear of the side frame and to an attachment to the up er portion of the heel-frame, a leg pivote to the said handle, extending downward therefrom, and stops on the forward face of the said leg.

3. A clothes-drainer of open-work construction having a slatted body, the structure being of greatest height at the rear, and the bottom of the said drainer being provided with forwardly-extending hook members, a handle secured to the upper rear portion of the structure, and a supporting device carried by the handle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEMUEL T. COOK.

Witnesses:

OLIVER M. TAYLOR, DAVID W. GAsHo. 

